Just in Time for the Holidays – Global Cooling

Don Easterbrook has a great blog entry on the environment and how there is good and bad news.

Good news – global warming is over.

More good news – CO2 is not the cause.

Bad news – global cooling to be worse than the previous cooling period of 1945 – 1977.

Here is a blurb that hits home -

Depending on how cold the present 30-year cooling period gets, in addition to the higher death rates, we will have to contend with diminished growing seasons and increasing crop failures with food shortages in third world countries, increasing energy demands, changing environments, increasing medical costs from diseases (especially flu), increasing transportation costs and interruptions, and many other ramifications associated with colder climate. The degree to which we may be prepared to cope with these problems may be significantly affected by how much money we waste chasing the CO₂ fantasy.

Blagojevich Names Successor to Obama – Gift That Keeps on Giving

Thank goodness for Blago.  He is the gift that keeps on giving.

He just named his replacement for Obama in the Senate – and no, it is not is toupee.

Some guy named Rollin Burris (the Attorney General for Illinois).

From WGN

I hope he doesn’t think that by appointing a prosecutor will help him to deflect the charges against him.

A Word on Restraint (Israeli)

It has come to my attention that because Israel has such vast military superiority over the government running Gaza (Hamas), that they must use restraint in their responses to the ongoing conflict (rockets killing their citizens).

Here is restraint for you – 375 dead – mostly what CNN calls “militants”.  Or, are they terrorists?

Anyway, the story then cites figures that says that 60 civilians were killed.  That is 16% of the total casualties listed.

So 84% of those hurt or killed were “militants”.

That is not good enough under most conditions of war (you know, where the soldiers try to keep the civilians far from the battlefield so that they can minimize the death toll on the innocents).

However, considering the fact that Hamas operates among the women and children in apartments, schools and in hospitals, it is amazing that the number of people not directly targeted wasn’t astoundingly higher.

This situation is probably not winnable for Israel.  The peace activists from around the world will foolishly favor the apparent victims (think Cynthia McKinney – the former Democrat Congresswoman) and will use the media to make Israel look bad in the press at every turn.

Possible solution from – yikes – George W.

Perhaps Bush can use his “Most Hated” status in the entire world to say to both parties, “Solve your problems – NOW, or I will.  And nobody will be happy with my solution.”

A good friend of mine had the best solution.  Here it is:

Perhaps if Bush promised to turn every Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy site in the region into Starbucks, Wal-Marts and McDonald’s, the warring factions would sit down to talk peace in an effort to save them.  After 48 hours, he’d start to level them all.

He could even sell the naming rights to help pay off US debt – think “Exxon-Moblile-ia” or “Halliburton-Land”.

A common enemy could be the one thing that could unify Jews and Muslims.  Bush has to work fast, while the $700 Billion is still burning a hole in the Treasury’s pocket – and while he is still Commander in Chief.

This conflict will not be solved by rational means.  Neither side can do so for a variety of reasons.  Perhaps an irrational despot – bigger than all involved – could start to sow the seeds of peace by promising such destruction that no one will like the result.

Seriously, if you kids don’t figure out how to stop fighting back there, I  will turn this car around!

Protesting the Protesters – Key to Peace is Victory

This is a formal protest to all of the concerned people protesting outside of the Israeli embassy in London and in other places around the world.  It is also a protest to CNN for giving these people exactly what they want – a forum to denounce Israel.

What is happening is terrible.  Children caught in the line of fire is a horrible thing.  Whether that is by Hamas setting up shop among children and hospitals (so that the innocent are human shields or just public relations fodder once killed) or people getting hit by random rocket attacks or terrorist attacks in Israel.

To the people protesting – those of you not directly connected to Gaza or Hamas or Palestinian territory – you are being used.  Take the hooks out of your mouths and go home to your families and thank whatever deity you pray to that rockets aren’t raining down on your neighborhoods.

To those of you directly attached to the crisis – take a good look in the mirror.  You will see the prime suspect in the crisis.

To the Israeli government – look into your mirrors as well.  For years you have paid more attention to public opinions than to doing what is necessary to end the crisis – Win this war.

For those who say that war is not the answer – I give you WWII.  Unconditional surrender.  Both sides accuse the other of wanting to annihilate the other.  Peace negotiations were very close to working roughly eight years ago and then “poof” – intifada was back and the war was on again.  It was too close for comfort for those dedicated to war.  Arafat was dodging bullets by his own before jumping off the “peace-train” and going back on the war-train.

So – here it is. The entire Arab world (with useful media and socialist helpers) against the state of Israel (smaller than the state of New Jersey).

The Arab world – powered by oil money and hatred of Jews dating back to biblical days.  They have nothing to lose because they know that Israel will NOT fight them to submission.  They also get to use Israel to use as a distraction from their own problems.  They keep their citizens angry at the evil Jews instead of the corrupt and useless “leaders” that hold power there.

Israel - with help from big brother USA and the fact that their backs are against the wall in the battle.  Failure means death.  It is a powerful motivator.

The public relations campaign by both camps is meant for the politicians and they are taking notice.  Barak Hussein Obama can duck this only so long and will be forced to make some kind of stand (at least by January 20th).

Obama – Let Israel Go?

I cannot believe that Obama will rubber stamp letting Israel do everything it can to gain a real, military victory.  That is why they are acting now.  While Bush is still in office.  They have a very short window to act freely.  They must strike fast and hard while minimizing civilian casualties (if, and only if, that is possible).  The goal must be to end this war quickly, just as the US acted to end the war in Japan.

Please don’t think that I am advocating nuclear options for Israel.  I am just pointing out that by delaying a true battlefield victory, they are delaying the day of reckoning from their enemies in Gaza.  The longer they wait, the longer Hamas has to gather more arms, more rockets and more ammunition to attack and attack regularly.

That is – unless Hamas is defeated completely and totally – as soon as possible.  Once victorious, the Israelis can behave as Americans did after WWII. They can help with rebuilding and funneling investment to a nation of people dedicated to peace and prosperity for their people.  Not a moment before.  It is a luxury they simply do not have.

Even as the battles rage on – Israel is willing to help those caught in the cross-fire (i.e. letting in the Red Cross and other aid to civilians).  It is a sign that Israel truly values lives – especially those not directly involved in the fighting.  I cannot say the same for Hamas.

The Problem with Diplomatic Diddling

That state of Israel is in a no win situation.  They will be condemned if they retaliate and will collapse if they just sit back and withstand hundreds of rocket attacks from Hamas militants in Gaza.

They cannot use “diplomacy” because one side doesn’t really want peace.  Instead, the Palestinians want Israel to be destroyed.   There is no way to avert a humanitarian disaster when women, children and the other “innocents” happen to live in the battle zone.

CNN and other media only boldly headline the massive casualty numbers emanating from Hamas-controlled spokespeople.    They have been largely silent on the onslaught of attacks that Israel has endured most recently since the cease-fire expiration, but really for years now.  Israeli children are not routinely posted on CNN’s website as they are attacked by rockets.

The US Government, as usual, condemns the terrorists and then urges Israel to show restraint.  Some b.s. UN humanitarian organization (dedicated to helping Palestinians, usually) wants Israel to defend itself, but to use proportionate responses.

What is proportionate to firing a rocket into a neighborhood?

Does Israel do the same?  Blow up a falafel joint?  Wire up some school children and take out some Palestinian checkpoint guards?

It is nonsense.

The Palestinian people made a choice.  They could have chosen peace and elected a government that would really offer them a peaceful solution with their Israeli neighbors.

Instead, they chose Hamas.  That is the tough part about democracy.  The public has to live with the “will of the people”.  Or, in the case of really bad choices like this – they have to continue to suffer and even die because of them.

The UN should have been urging the people of Gaza to support more peaceful solutions to their political problems.  They should also have warned them of the dire consequences to making the wrong choice.

Now, the US and Israel will have to “hope” that the incoming administration does more than try the hopeless diplomacy to avert a protracted battle, with death looming at every skirmish.